Bringing change is a challenge, feels 'administrator' Gavaskar

As his tenure will come to an end after the conclusion of the IPl final on June 1, BCCI-IPl president Sunil Gavaskar feels effective implementation of ideas is a big challenge for any former player who wants to don the administrator's hat.

"The biggest challenge for him (player-turned-official) is to put forward some of the ideas he has and the suggestions he has based on of the observations he might have made while playing, and to convince the other members of the administration team to act on them," Gavaskar told 'IPlT20' website yesterday.

"Often, we go by tradition and there's reluctance to accept a change. That is the biggest challenge for a player-turned-administrator. Having said that, mine has been a really short stint, hardly four-five weeks. So, it's not right for me to be judgmental about it," the legendary opener said.

Gavaskar, on his part said that it was easier for him to incorporate his ideas as they had a solid system in place.

"What I tried to do when I took over the job is to make the IPl organization a little more media-friendly and more accessible to the media. It is important to keep the media as informed as possible and try to keep them in loop so that there are no unwanted speculations and wild rumours.

"At the end of the day, it's the media people who'll have to say whether or not it has worked, but I do believe that this accessibility has given the BCCI and IPl a better face than before."

According to Gavaskar, the highlight of IPl-7 was smooth organization of the UAE leg.

"I think the highlight for me was the way the UAE leg went through. The response we got from fans and organizers there was incredible. The organization and the management went on very smoothly as well."

Gavaskar urged the fans to have faith in cricketing fraternity.

"It's important for the fans to have faith in the cricketing fraternity. Just because one or two players have gone down the wrong road, it doesn't mean that the rest of the players are guilty. That is what the fans should actually believe in."

Asked about what kind of changes can be made in IPl, Gavaskar replied,"From the bowlers' point of view, I'd like to see the boundaries being a bit longer. I do understand that certain distance is required between the boundary and the fence with all the sliding that the fielders do these days. But I still feel that the boundaries are being moved in a lot more than they should.

"At every ground I have seen, the boundaries could have been at least five to ten yards deeper. That would be the difference between a lot of those marginal sixes and a wicket for the bowler. It would also mean that a six is really a six."

On a lighter note, he was asked as to which Indian cricketer of the 1983 World Cup side would have been an instant hit in the IPl, he replied,"Kapil Dev, without a doubt."